Full disclosure: I initially considered titling this post !!!!!!!!! but WordPress started laughing at me, and threatened to throw spam.
At this point to say I cannot contain my already typically excessive exclaiming is to understate. HOW am I going to refrain from blurting out, “Hawaii! I’m going there!” from now until I leave at the beginning of September? Better yet, Maui! + getting to see my sister in TWO WEEKS = how am I going to sleep tonight? And the next night? And the night after that? HOW?
But I suppose this post is coming completely out of nowhere if you don’t follow me on Twitter, or don’t even use Twitter, and/or didn’t get a text or an email or a DM from me (IN ALL CAPS) saying something like “MAUI!” or “I’M GOING TO HAWAII!” or “THIS IS PERFECT BECAUSE I JUST WATCHED INTO THE BLUE LAST WEEKEND AND…what? No, no I did not watch Into the Blue. I mean, I did, but you can’t prove it and anyway, BACK TO SEA TURTLES!”
The oh so random “Kerri is going to Hawaii over Labor Day weekend” story goes a little something like this:
1. Kerri checks her email nonchalantly Tuesday morning, half-asleep.
2. Kerri notices Alaska Airlines trying to trick her into going to Hawaii by offering her a Crazy Ridiculous Low One-Way Fare. Kerri was in Hawaii ten (!) years ago and paid more like $600 for her ticket. So Kerri automatically think it’s a) a scam b) bound by a bunch of lame guidelines that will ultimately render her (at this point very imaginary) trip to Hawaii typical amounts of expensive, and therefore typical amounts of not happening.
3. After a bit of research Kerri realizes it’s a) not a scam and b) she can fly over Labor Day weekend for less than $300 round-trip. She also realizes Hawaiian Airlines beats Alaska with an Even Crazier Low One-Way Fare.
4. Kerri tweets about wanting to go to Hawaii, and says someone should come with her, because, hi, Hawaii, you look pretty today.
5. Kerri’s pretty sure everyone will think she’s nuts, and/or no one will be able to come, because who plans a last-minute trip to Hawaii after an already crazy August?
6. Kerri briefly considers going to Hawaii by herself, because why not? That is, until Terrell says she’s IN.
7. Kerri thinks about how much fun! it would be to go to Hawaii with Terrell, who is awesome and hilarious and likes sea turtles.
8. Kerri asks Terrell if she’s joking, because Kerri isn’t really joking, and Terrell, says nope, she’s totally IN.
9. Kerri finds a hotel on the beach for $72/night, which split between two people is Not Very Much At All/night.
10. Terrell and Kerri buy tickets (the air kind!) before they each leave work on Tuesday.
11. Kerri knows why she can’t stop smiling, but not why she is telling this story in a third-person numbered list.
I think I am seriously just in shock right now. I mean, I love! to travel, but this has to be the most spontaneous trip I have ever booked and (not) planned, and it’s just…exhilarating! Those prices were just way too good to ignore, and it will be nice to have a super relaxing (long) weekend getaway. I honestly can’t remember the last time a vacation was even remotely relaxing. Or tropical! It might have been the last time I was in Hawaii, ten years ago.
Ten years and I can still remember how perfectly floral the entire island of Oahu smelled when we walked off the plane.
I have a feeling Maui is going to smell even better.
*Post title from Forgetting Sarah Marshall which is a movie (that makes me laugh quite a lot and) set in…wait for it…HAWAII.